1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable framework structures and, more particularly, to such structures as are used with a net to construct a goal for use in various sporting events. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable soccer goal that is constructed of interconnecting components that can be easily assembled and disassembled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although soccer has long been the world's most popular sport, in the United States soccer was virtually ignored throughout the 1960's and 1970's. However, beginning with youth programs in the 1980's, the popularity of soccer has dramatically increased, achieving nation-wide recognition in 1994 when the World Cup events were held in the United States.
Baseball remains the "national past time"; however, soccer is in rapid pursuit. In the year just prior to the World Cup competition, 12 million youngsters under age 18 had placed soccer even in popularity with softball and touch football. Moreover, according to the Soccer Industry Council of America, soccer's popularity cuts across demographic and geographic lines. Females account for over half of the players, and California and New York, followed by Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, have the greatest percentage of children participating in the sport. Children of ages from 7 -11 years represent the single largest number of soccer players, accounting for approximately 42% of the nation's players. The "youth" of soccer is readily apparent, with players of age from 7-7 representing over 70% of the nation's soccer players.
This rising popularity of soccer has resulted in the establishment of increasing numbers of recreational and competitive soccer teams. With the sport being taken more seriously, "semi-professional" coaches have been hired and practice regimens are scheduled. Fortunately, the required equipment for practicing is minimal in comparison with some other sports, with a soccer ball and a rectangular field area all that is required.
To increase the benefits of practice, simulation of the "goal area" is desired. In order to sharpen both goal-tending skills and goal-scoring ability, it is important that all three dimensions, height, width, and depth of an official goal be present and available during at least part of the practice sessions.
Since schools are in large part responsible for the awakening of children's interest in soccer, school grounds are frequently the sight of soccer practicing. Unfortunately, the majority of schools are unable to provide great numbers of "permanent" soccer fields, and thus most soccer teams and players must rely upon portable soccer goals if such enhanced practice sessions are to be provided on a regular basis.
Regulation soccer goals measure 24 feet by 8 feet, and replication of such a large netted structure in a portable design has proven to be somewhat difficult. One solution has been to utilize basically the same components as in a permanent soccer goal, with attachment to a wheeled foundation provided in the place of ground-foundation structures. The resulting goal is quite heavy, and presents safety concerns to those around it, as will be discussed hereinafter.
An alternative solution has been the construction of soccer nets on site using a multiple-component framework to which separate netting is attached. Once assembled, the framework design tended to simulate the more permanent soccer net structures, and consequently included a number of heavy, over-sized components that were of marginal portability. Additionally, by separating the netting from the outer framework, the opportunities for inadvertent separation of the two components increased.
In addition to being of questionable portability, the semi-permanent wheeled nets and the use of heavy, multi-component frames also present a safety risk. When improperly installed or when they are used in a manner for which they were not designed. Such non-soccer activities have included being climbed upon or used to perform acrobatics, with severe, if not fatal injuries, a result. In one case, as one person climbed on the horizontal header of a 600-pound steel goal post, the goal post tipped forward and struck the head of another person who was hanging from the header, resulting in fatal injuries. At the time of the incident, this goal post was not properly anchored to the ground. In another case, while lifting a corner of the goal post to remove a net for storage, the goal post fell, striking the head of a three-year-old boy--again resulting in fatal injuries.
Over a fourteen-year period, the Consumer Products Safety Commission investigated 27 injuries relating to falling soccer goal posts. Eighteen of these injuries were fatal, primarily as a result of head trauma, with the injured being predominantly male, and ten-year old (average age). Of the 27 goal posts involved, 26 were made of metal, usually steel or galvanized pipe and 23 of the goal posts were mobile. Virtually all of the injuries occurred when the goal post fell forward, its top cross bar striking the victim.
All 27 events were witnessed, and in the majority of cases an adult was either directly supervising or in the general vicinity at the time of the injury. With the mouth of a soccer goal post completely open to the playing field, only three sides of the goal are available to stabilize and prevent a forward collapse of the goal. The injuries typically resulted from climbing on the goal posts, swinging or hanging from cross bars, or from doing chin-ups on the crossbars. The Consumer Products Safety Commission recommends that goal posts not in use should be either chained to a fence or other permanent structure, placed goal-faced-down on the ground, or disassembled for storage.
The growing popularity of soccer has resulted in an increased need for portable soccer goals. Portability and safety concerns both require that such goals be lightweight, with easy assembly and disassembly by their users. Additionally, since many times such practice sessions occur with few adults present, it is important that when disassembled, the soccer net be as compact and easy to carry as possible.